Nest.



.. W. A. KUNTZ & L. M. CHRISTOPHERSON.

NEST.

APPLICATION FILED sPT. 17. 1915.

1 1 7 3,8 l 3 Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

WITNESSES IIVVEIVTORJ M ll/i'dmA /fan #2 A TTOR/VE Y8 THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,, WASHINGTON, n. c.

WILLIAM A. KUNTZ AND LAMBERT lVI. GHRISTOPHERSGN, OF WOLSEY, SOUTH DAKOTA.

NEST.

Application filed September 17, 1915.

To all 2071 am it may concern Be it known that we, WILLIAM A. KUN'rz and LAMBERT M. CHRIs'rorHERsoN, citizens of the United States, and residents of WVolse in the county of Beadle and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and Improved Nest, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Objects of our invention are to provide a sanitary and cool hens nest which may be easily and thoroughly cleaned, and to provide a nest with a novel ventilating bottom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a nest that may be opened for the entrance of the hens to the nest compartments therein and closed at night to prevent dirt from dropping into the nest as well as prevent sitting hens from occupying the nest.

Other objects will appear from the more specific description following.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view of a hens nest embodying our invention, part being broken out; and Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section.

In constructing a practical embodiment of our invention in accordance with the illustrated example, a body 10, is provided, preferably rectangular and said body is made open at the top and bottom. The top of the body 10, is inclined having a rise from the front to the back. A lift cover 12, is secured at its rear edge at the upper end of the back of the body 10, by hinges 13.

The interior of the body 10, is divided by vertical partitions 14, into a series of compartments constituting individual nests. At the front of the body 10, a running board 15, is provided, which in the case of a nest may be made in the form of a cleat applied to the outer surface of the front of the body at the upper edge. T hus, a hen may alight on the running board 15, and move along the same to select an unoccupied nest or compartment.

The lower edges 16, of the ends of the body 10, terminate short of the lower edges 17, of the front and back of the body. In order to provide for proper ventilation at the bottom and to facilitate a proper cleaning of the structure, a drop bottom 18, is

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Serial No. 51,147.

provided. The area of the bottom 18, is sufficiently less than that of the body 10, that a free space will be produced around the bottom between the same and the walls of the body.

of the rear'wall of the body so that the bottom is adapted to be swung upward to a closed position between the lower edges 17, of the front and back of the body. Thus, the weight of the structure will not be eX- erted on the bottom 18, but will be sustained by the front and back and the space around the edges of the bottom will be maintained open for ventilation. To fasten the bottom 18, in the closed position, hasps 20, are secured to the said bottom at the front and the forward hinge sections 21, of said hasps are adapted to be engaged by staples 22.

The arrangement of the bottom in addition to providing ventilation, facilitates a cleaning of the structure since the dropping of the bottom opens all the nest compartments. The lift cover 12, is designed to be maintained open during the day and to be closed at night to exclude sitting hens and to prevent the entrance of droppings from above. It is to be understood than any suitable material may be employed for the construction of the body, the lift cover, and dropping bottom. WVe wish to state a further advantage of the improved construction, which is, that it will not be possible for hens to eat the eggs laid in the nest.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A hens nest including a body open at the top and bottom and formed with a running board at the upper edge of the front at the outside of said front, a lift cover hinged at its rear edge to the body, a ventilating drop bottom of an area sufficiently less than the bottom of the body to leave free ventilatingopenings between the side edges of the bottom and the walls of the body, hinges connecting the rear edge of the said bottom with the back wall and extending across the adjacent opening between the back wall of the body and the bottom, a hasp hingedly secured to the said bottom at the front and extending across the opening between the front edge of the bottom and the front wall of the body, and a staple on the body at the front to engage the hasp.

2. A hens nest including a body open at Hinges 19, connect the rear end of the bottom 18, with the lower end the top and bottom and formed with nest compartments, a cover on the body for clos bottom of the body to leave free ventilating r openings between the edges of the said bottom and the walls of the'body, the front and back Walls of the body extending below the end walls, hinges connecting the bottom with the lower edge of the back wall of the body, a 'hasp hinged to the bottom at the front and a staple on the body at the front to engage said hasp, the hinges of the bottom and the said staples serving to sustain the bottom in position above the lower edges of the back and front of the body.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM A. KUNTZ, LAMBERT M. OHRISTOPHERSON.

Witnesses:

W. A. JOHNS, F. C; BAGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

v Washington, D. G. 

